Monty Python and the Holy Grail Blu-ray in March

One of the bestestest and funniestest flicks ever made is coming to Blu-ray in just over a month’s time. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is probably the least likely film to benefit from a transfer to high-def but I’m anxious to see what Grover Crisp and his wizards over at Sony digital can do with the muddy, low-def elements of the 1975 no-budget comedy film. It’s a favourite of mine and if it can benefit from the format, I’ll be the first to trumpet that fact to the world. …Continued…

Top New Blu-ray releases for the Week of July 12

This weeks new Blu-ray releases include ‘NAKED’ from Criterion, ‘UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES’ from Strand, ‘THE LINCOLN LAWYER’ from eOne, ‘BUSTER KEATON – SHORT FILMS COLLECTION 1920 – 1923′ from Kino, ‘RANGO’ from Paramount, ‘BRAZIL’ from Universal, ‘ENTOURAGE: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON’ from Warner and HBO, ‘BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS’ from Shout Factory and many, many more!

[VIDEO] Three Reasons: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – The Criterion Collection

Did you pick up a copy of Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on Blu-ray last week? If not, the video above will give you “Three Reasons” to add it to your collection. And if, by some fluke you weren’t convinced of the quality of the Blu-ray presentation after reading my raves about it last week, this video embed actually provides a sense of the colour and the detail in Criterion’s exceptional new HD transfer. So what are you waiting for?! …Continued…

Top 10 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of April 26

This weeks new Blu-ray releases include ‘HUMAN PLANET’ from Warner, ‘BLOW OUT’ and ‘FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS’ from Criterion, ‘THE HOLY MOUNTAIN’ and ‘EL TOPO’ from Anchor Bay, ‘THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA’ from Kino, ‘THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME’ from Bandai, ‘EDEN OF THE EAST: THE KING OF EDEN’ from FUNimation and many, many more!

Universal bringing bare-bones edition of Gilliam’s Brazil to Blu-ray

Universal will be bringing Terry Gilliam‘s brilliant, surrealist social commentary Brazil to Blu-ray this coming July 12th. That’s right. Universal, not Criterion. Need I say more? Sigh. …Continued…

Criterion April Blu-ray titles: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Blow Out, Le Cercle Rouge, more

From the looks of things, The Criterion Collection will be gracing us with another brilliant slate of Blu-ray discs come April. I’m particularly excited about upgrading my DVD copy of Terry Gilliam‘s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, because, as I feared over a year ago, Universal‘s Blu-ray release of the film just didn’t cut the mustard. I’m expecting great things from this new director approved transfer! Oh yeah, and Blow Out in HD! And more Melville! And Ken Loach! …Continued…

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Blu-ray Disc Review

Regular readers will know of my deep affection for the work of Terry Gilliam. As a fan, I’ve found it difficult to see the talented auteur struggle with challenging and ultimately unsuccessful films like Tideland or his infamously tragic, failed production of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. I can report now, with great pleasure, that the man has returned to form with his most recent effort, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – a film doomed to fail yet pulled from the fire by a brilliant last-minute re-imagining of the central character. …Continued…

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of April 27

If I had the power to name this week, I think I would have to dub it “The Mighty Catalogue Release Week”…or something like that. I mean, there are a couple of major new releases this week but my god, there are a ton of amazing older titles hitting shelves today. It’s tough to be interested in a new title when so many of my favourite oldies are hitting Blu today. But to be truthful here, there isn’t really a clunker in this list. Including the discs that didn’t make my top 5. They’re all worth a look!

But if I had to put them in order of preference, to pick a Top 5, this is what I’d end up with: …Continued…

Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus on Blu-ray

I’m an unabashed fan of Terry Gilliam’s work. I count Brazil amongst my all time favourite films. While I didn’t think The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was his best work, I did really enjoy it and am pleased to tell you that you’ll be able to get your hands on a Blu-ray copy of the film very, very soon. From the looks of things, however, it will be available in Canada, the US and the UK at different times, from different studios. I’ve got the info for Lionsgate’s UK release and Sony’s US version but the Canadian Blu-ray, which I’m assuming will come from E1 Films has yet to be announced at all. We will, of course, update this post when we know more. UK and US details below: …Continued…

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of February 16

Oh geez. I can’t afford this. Nobody can afford this. This is an inordinate amount of awesomeness for one week. Three Criterion discs, three classics from Studio Canal, a Scorsese, an anime anthology, Audrey Tautou and faux-vintage blaxploitation. How’s a guy supposed to pick a top five out of all this greatness?! Sigh…I’m going to cheat, that’s how. …Continued…